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Darla Moore takes on Charleston's local parks
Charleston Regional Business Journal
Sep 29, 2008
Darla Moore is known for her business acumen, Southern charm and philanthropic spirit. Now she’ll be known for helping transform Charleston’s parks and public spaces.
An avid gardener and plant lover, Moore recognized that, though Charleston’s historic buildings were carefully preserved, the same attention wasn’t given to the city’s 120 public parks.
Having lived in New York City, Moore watched as Central Park was transformed from a “rat-infested, fearful” place to a wonderful park. She was certain the same attention could be given to Charleston’s parks.
Moore and her husband, Richard Rainwater, have a home in downtown Charleston near the Battery. Together they run Rainwater Inc., a private investment firm that manages billions of dollars.
Once she started spending more time in downtown Charleston, Moore realized that the city’s parks needed as much attention as the historic buildings and homes.
“There’s the preservation of history, but the parks are not up to the same standard,” she said. “It’s time for Charleston to have a similar organization as the one that rehabbed Central Park.”
From idea to reality
In New York City, the City Parks Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports hundreds of parks throughout the city. Moore met with representatives from the foundation, who visited Charleston and offered recommendations.
The result is the Charleston Parks Conservancy and an initiative called Park Angels. Six Park Angels have been selected as the face of the CPC. They will work with the conservancy and the city to mobilize residents and organize people who have a passion for parks.
The key, Moore said, is involving not only the city but the local residents. It’s a long-term project with the first step revitalizing Colonial Lake Park on Rutledge Avenue in downtown Charleston.
“The city can’t do it,” she said. “You can sit and complain that somebody needs to do something, but that somebody is you. You can say somebody needs to do something, well, bend over and pull the weeds.
“I don’t get paid for it, but I want to be part of something bigger,” said Moore, who likely will be pulling weeds and pruning plants herself.
Stepping forward
Jim Martin, executive director of the Charleston Parks Conservancy, said it often takes one person to draw attention to a cause.
“In every community, sometimes it takes one person to step forward and do more than just talk about how important this is,” he said. “That’s exactly what she’s (Moore) done with this.”
Moore recognized that all the hallmarks of Charleston’s charm are present in the parks, but not to the same degree, Martin said. In September, the conservancy announced six Park Angels, core volunteers for the conservancy who will give a face to the organization. Next month, the Park Angels will be introduced to city park employees, and Charleston Mayor Joe Riley will be named an honorary Park Angel.
A new way of thinking
Even though six individuals were selected to carry the proverbial banner, anyone with an interest in Charleston’s public parks can get involved. The conservancy gives residents an outlet for volunteering or making donations. Those with ideas or questions can go to the parks conservancy’s Web site and make suggestions.
The Charleston Parks Conservancy is using Greenville identity company Brains on Fire and local marketing firm Step Ahead Web Strategies to employ nontraditional marketing efforts. Web 2.0 concepts, such as creating a Facebook page for the organization and blogging, are emphasized more. Social networking and word-of-mouth will spread the message.
“We’re developing the concept in Charleston that it’s you and me,” Martin said. “It’s not, ‘Oh, the city’s going to do that.’ It ain’t going to happen. The city has limited resources. It’s going to take more involvement on your end. There are obstacles to getting the city of Charleston to do things it couldn’t do because it didn’t have the resources. I’m not saying that we’re the end-all, be-all of parks, but a different way of thinking.”
--Holly Fisher
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